A School of Public Health Like No Other

Reuel A. Stallones Building in the Texas Medical Center in Houston

At six campuses across Texas, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health works to improve the state of public health in Texas every day. Each of our campuses is strategically placed to meet the public health education and research needs of the diverse populations across Texas. UTHealth School of Public Health is the only school of public health in the nation with regional campuses.

The main campus, located in the heart of Houston’s Texas Medical Center, offers students unmatched opportunities for research and employment. The School of Public Health’s five regional campuses are in Austin, Brownville, Dallas, El Paso and San Antonio. Each campus has its own faculty and research specialties. Students can attend class at any of the six campuses via Interactive Television (ITV).

UTHealth School of Public Health is one of six schools of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), the most comprehensive academic health system in The University of Texas System and the U.S. Gulf Coast region. In addition to the School of Public Health, UTHealth is home to schools of biomedical informatics, biomedical sciences, dentistry, medicine and nursing. It also includes a psychiatric hospital, multiple institutes and centers, a growing network of clinics and outreach programs in education and care throughout the region.

The School of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and the university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Center for Health Services Research

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The Center for Health Services Research (CHSR) conducts research and provides technical assistance and training in the organization, financing, and outcomes of health services, systems, and policies. The center focuses on the development and application of health services research methods in the design and evaluation of individually targeted healthcare and community-based public health.

Mission

The mission of the Center for Health Services Research (CHSR) is to conduct research and provide technical assistance and training in the organization, financing, and outcomes of health services, systems and policies. The Center focuses on the development and application of health services research methods in the design and evaluation of individually targeted healthcare and community-based public health.

The Center will complement other research activities within UTHealth and School of Public Health by applying basic research on causal relationships, intervention design and population surveillance to service, system and policy questions. The CHSR will provide graduate and postgraduate training and practice opportunities for students and fellows and collaborative research opportunities with other centers, institutes and external organizations where knowledge of financing, evaluation, organizational relationships and policy is important. It will create opportunities for research collaboration among faculty and students at the Houston and regional UTSPH campuses and the Texas Medical Center, as well as with other public and private organizations throughout Texas.

Projects

Cost, Quality, Outcome of Health Services

Project Title

Evaluation of Chemotherapy Claims for Breast Cancer

Investigator

Du, Xianglin

Investigator Role

PI

Primary Grantee

NIH/NCI

Description

The major goals of this project are to evaluate the utility of Medicare claims for identifying use of chemotherapy in older women diagnosed with breast cancer and to examine the patterns and outcomes of chemotherapy in large population-based settings.

Project Title

Consortium for Research – Self Neglect in the Elderly

Investigator

Franzini, Luisa

Investigator Role

PI

Primary Grantee

BCM

Description

Establishment of project activities to study the interrelations of disease and social factors. To provide a continuum for neglected or self neglect in elders – lack of attention, inadequate clothing, lack of hygiene and reduce the abuse of seniors by person (s) in a position of trust.

Project Title

Measuring the Value of Remote ICU Monitoring

Investigator

Franzini, Luisa

Investigator Role

CI

Primary Grantee

NIH

Description

The aims of this project are: 1. measure the effect of a tele-ICU on mortality, complications, and length of stay in ICUs; 2. measure the cost-effectiveness of the tele-ICU; 3. use human factors engineering techniques to gauge the effect of the user interface of the tele-ICU on the value of the technology; 4. measure changes in health care provider attitudes about their work processes, teamwork, and safety culture after implementation of the tele-ICU.

Project Title

SIP 3-04 Healthy Passages: A Community Based Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

Investigator

Franzini, Luisa

Investigator Role

CI

Primary Grantee

CDC

Description

Help families, health care providers, schools, and communities develop effective policies and programs to improve the health of our young people.

Project Title

Center for Hispanic Health Disparities Research

Investigator

Franzini, Luisa

Investigator Role

CI

Primary Grantee

University of Texas, El Paso

Description

To participate in and provide leadership to research-based innovations that will reduce Hispanic health disparities. The center will develop collaborative relationships between UTEP and UTHSC-H in fostering sustainable mechanisms for scholarship development in Hispanic health disparities; mentor health researchers through learning institutes, guides research studies and dissemination of new knowledge.

Health Systems Design and Evaluation

Establish the Houston Health Services Research Collaborative for documenting public health issues and evaluating policy initiatives that impact the greater Houston area and its medically underserved populations.

Project Title

Socioeconomic Status, Healthcare Use, and Outcomes in Epilepsy

Investigator

Begley, Charles E, Aday, Lu A

Investigator Role

PI (Begley), CI (Aday)

Primary Grantee

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Description

To assess the relationship between health care use, and outcomes and the severity of epilepsy; Hypothesis 1: The use, cost and outcomes of care are directly related to the severity of epilepsy. 2. Outcomes of care are directly related to the intensity of care for epilepsy and subject to diminishing returns.